We also know "You Light Up My Life" are lyrics in a terribly cheesy Whitney Houston song. But when you drop the you at the beginning those four words become a request, and one I've prayed frequently over the last few weeks.
Check out this quote from Amy Carmichael written in the early 1900s (there are so many similarities to the American church in this):
"Constantly Amy prayed, and asked her 'prayer warriors' to pray, that those who joined them would be sent by the Lord of the Harvest. No others would be able to "stem the tide, keep facing upstream," no other would "keep on fire. And truly on fire they must be if they are to set the native church on fire, for it is wrapped round and round in wet blankets of the devil's own weaving and soaking.""
Why fire? Why must the church be lit? Amy Carmichael wasn't the only one who said such things. Why, many ancient saints have voiced such cries, some not so ancient.
Jim Elliot, missionary to the Auca Indians in Ecuador who was martyred by the very ones his team was sharing with, said this:
"God, I pray Thee, light up these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like You, Lord Jesus."
"When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and see you burn."
Maybe its because fire spreads quickly. It affects everything it encounters, setting ablaze everything it touches.
As believers, we have the light of Christ in us and we hold out the Word of life to all those around us. His light and loved lived out through us will attract others and our mission is to make disciples, planting and watering seeds of the Gospel and watching God give the increase (setting others on fire).
God, help me to be set on fire for You and let all the people be touched by Your consuming fire.
0 comments:
Post a Comment